Onondaga County Court Records

Onondaga County court records are official documents generated in the county's supreme, county, surrogate's, family, city, village, and town courts. In Onondaga County, New York, records serve as evidence during appeal proceedings, support legal research, and help establish judicial precedents.

Like other New York court records, Onondaga court records contain details like case numbers, party names, filing dates, hearing dates and locations, and case types (criminal, civil, family). These records include legal documents created and filed in court proceedings, such as motions, orders, complaints, judgments, and transcripts.

Members of the public can approach an Onondaga County court clerk's office or use other court-provided resources to find and access court records.

Are Court Records Public in Onondaga County?

Yes. Section 255 of the New York Judiciary Law supports the public's right to access Onondaga court records. However, certain restrictions protect sensitive or confidential information. For example, some family court records, like those related to divorce, adoption, and juvenile proceedings, are sealed to safeguard the privacy of minors and families. Records pertaining to ongoing investigations and national security matters may also be restricted. Additionally, sensitive personal data, such as financial records, social security details, and victim information, are considered confidential.

Onondaga County Court Records Search

Individuals seeking court records have different options, depending on their preferences. They can use free online resources provided by the courts to view basic case information, such as case events, hearing dates, and outcomes. Those who want to view and obtain official records may visit the Onondaga County Clerk's office or pay for special online access.

Members of the public also have access to third-party resources to look up Onondaga County court records.

Onondaga County Court Records Search by Name

Searching court records by name involves using the names of individuals and organizations or their attorneys to find court records. One can input names as search parameters on online case search databases provided by the New York Unified Court System or the Onondaga County Clerk.

Individuals can also request name-based searches when they visit the Clerk's office. Additionally, third-party websites offering court records search services make it easy for consumers to search for records by name.

Onondaga County Courts

Onondaga County courts fall under New York's Fifth Judicial District. Below are their physical addresses:

Supreme Courts

Onondaga County Supreme Court
Onondaga County Courthouse
401 Montgomery Street
Room 312
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 671-1030

Onondaga County Supreme Court
Onondaga Criminal Court Building
505 South State Street
Room 110
Syracuse, NY 13202-2138
Phone: (315) 671-1020

County Courts

Onondaga County Court
Onondaga Criminal Courts Building
505 South State Street
Suite 110
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 671-1020

Family Courts

Onondaga County Family Court
Onondaga County Courthouse
401 Montgomery Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 671-2000

Surrogate's Courts

Onondaga County Surrogate's Court
Onondaga County Courthouse
401 Montgomery Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 671-2100

City Courts

Syracuse City Court
The Honorable James C. Tormey III Criminal Courthouse
505 South State Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 671-2700

Town Courts

Camillus Town Court
4600 West Genesee Street
Syracuse, NY 13219-1734
Phone: (315) 487-0600

Cicero Town Court
8236 Brewerton Road
Cicero, NY 13039
Phone: (315) 699-8478

Clay Town Court
4401 Route 31
Clay, NY 13041-8707
Phone: (315) 652-3800

Dewitt Town Court
5400 Butternut Drive
East Syracuse, NY 13057
Phone: (315) 446-9180

Elbridge Town Court
Route 31
P.O. Box 568
Jordan, NY 13080-0568
Phone: (315) 689-7380

Fabius Town Court
Fabius Community Center
7786 Main Street
P.O. Box 64
Fabius, NY 13063-64
Phone: (315) 683-9835

Geddes Town Court
1000 Woods Road
Solvay, NY 13209
Phone: (315) 468-3613

Lafayette Town Court
P.O. Box 135
Lafayette, NY 13084-135
Phone: (315) 677-9350

Lysander Town Court
8220 Loop Road
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
Phone: (315) 638-1308

Manlius Town Court
301 Brooklea Drive
Fayetteville, NY 13066
Phone: (315) 637-3251

Marcellus Town Court
22 East Main Street
Marcellus, NY 13108-1200
Phone: (315) 673-3269

Onondaga Town Court
5020 Ball Road
Syracuse, NY 13215-1605
Phone: (315) 469-1674

Otisco Town Court
1924 Barker Street
Tully, NY 13159
Phone: (315) 696-6771

Pompey Town Court
Route 20
Manlius, NY 13104
Phone: (315) 682-1168

Salina Town Court
201 School Road
Liverpool, NY 13088-6232
Phone: (315) 457-4251

Skaneateles Town Court
24 Jordan Street
Skaneateles, NY 13152-1198
Phone: (315) 685-5880

Spafford Town Court
1984 State Route 174
Skaneateles, NY 13152
Phone: (315) 673-4144

Tully Town Court
5883 Meeting House Road
P.O. Box 126
Tully, NY 13159-0126
Phone: (315) 696-5884

Van Buren Town Court
7575 Van Buren Road
Baldwinsville, NY 13027-9770
Phone: (315) 635-3523

Village Courts

Baldwinsville Village Court
16 West Genesee Street
Baldwinsville, NY 13027-1191
Phone: (315) 635-6355

East Syracuse Village Court
204 North Center Street
East Syracuse, NY 13057-2599
Phone: (315) 437-3541

Fayetteville Village Court
425 East Genesee Street
Fayetteville, NY 13066
Phone: (315) 637-8070

Liverpool Village Court
310 Sycamore Street
Liverpool, NY 13088-4415
Phone: (315) 457-5379

Manlius Village Court
1 Arkie Albanese Avenue
Manlius, NY 13104
Phone: (315) 682-7245

Minoa Village Court
240 North Main Street
Minoa, NY 13116
Phone: (315) 656-2203

Solvay Village Court
1100 Woods Road
Solvay, NY 13209
Phone: (315) 468-1608

Onondaga County Superior Court Case Search

The New York Courts system refers to its courts of general jurisdiction as Supreme Courts. While the Onondaga County Supreme Court can hear any type of case, it mostly adjudicates cases other lower courts cannot handle. These include civil suits worth more than $25,000, equity, injunctions, mortgage foreclosures, and separation, divorce, and annulment matters.

Individuals can inquire at the Onondaga County Clerk's office or use online resources from the New York Unified Courts System and Onondaga County Clerk's office to find and access Supreme Court case records. Examples include:

• The County Clerk's Digital Document System

The Clerk's eSearch system allows members of the public to find case records and documents maintained by the county clerk, including Supreme Court records. People who search the websites as guests can only view an index of cases, with details such as case numbers, names of parties, and filing dates.

Individuals who want to view and order images must set up an account and purchase a subscription. The subscription costs $500 for 180 days, $100 for 30 days, and $24 for 24 hours. Printing images costs an extra 65 cents per page.

• The New York State Courts Electronic Filing System (or NYSCEF)

The NYSCEF is the state judiciary's central electronic court filing system. Members of the public can access this tool as guests to search for Supreme Court case documents for free without having to sign up. The application allows searches by name, case number, or attorney details. Individuals can narrow their search results by selecting Onondaga County and indicating a filing date range.

The NYSCEF displays basic case information, such as the parties' names, case numbers, filing dates, case events, and case documents, including judgments.

• WebCivil Supreme

The WebCivil Supreme database offers access to active and disposed civil cases heard in the Onondaga County Supreme Court and other New York counties. Users can search for cases using various criteria, such as party or attorney/firm name, index number, or the assigned justice.

• WebCriminal

The WebCriminal portal provides details on pending criminal cases in select New York courts, including the Onondaga County Supreme Court. It displays upcoming court dates for these cases. Individuals can search using a case number or party name. Users can also view court calendars from the court.

Onondaga County District Court Records

Courts of limited jurisdiction in Onondaga County include the following:

• County court
• Surrogate's court
• Family court
• City courts
• Town and Village courts

The County Court

The County Court handles civil cases of up to $25,000. It adjudicates every alleged crime committed within the county but primarily focuses on felony cases. The court also functions as an intermediate appellate court, hearing appeals from lower-level City, Town, and Village courts.

Individuals can access case files through the Onondaga County Clerk's eSearch database. They can also order copies of documents from the Clerk in person or by mail.

Surrogate's Court

The Onondaga Surrogate's Court handles probate of wills and estate administration for deceased people. The court also addresses discovery proceedings, disputed claims, accountings, and wrongful death settlements. Additionally, it manages guardianships for minors and adults under the Surrogate Court Procedure Act (SCPA) Article 17A.

Records from this court can be obtained through the NYSCEF system and the Onondaga County Clerk's office.

Family Court

The Family Court handles guardianship, adoption, foster care, child protection, child support, parental rights, delinquency, supervision, and child custody proceedings, among others. The court does not hear divorce cases.

Individuals can find these case records through the WebFamily database. They can also use the resources provided by the Onondaga County Clerk.

City Court

The Syracuse City Court hears civil cases with disputes up to $15,000. It also adjudicates misdemeanors and city code violations committed within city limits. Additionally, it can handle preliminary hearings in felony matters before they move on to the county court.

Individuals can use the WebCivil Local and WebCriminal databases operated by the New York Unified Court System to find cases handled in the court.

Town and Village Courts

These courts are also called justice courts. They have jurisdiction over traffic, vehicle, eviction, and small claims matters. They also adjudicate minor criminal offenses and civil disputes.

Individuals seeking justice court case records can approach the clerk in charge of the presiding town or village court.

Onondaga County Criminal Records

Onondaga criminal records can be obtained from law enforcement bodies, such as the police departments and the Sheriff's Office. These records detail arrest events that took place in the county and their dispositions.

For example, people can go through the Sheriff's Office to find active arrest warrants. They can also visit their local police precincts to inquire about Onondaga County arrest records, especially if the individual has not been charged in court.

People can also perform a New York criminal history search, which can uncover Onondaga County arrest records, through the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) (if eligible).

Onondaga County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Onondaga County has county, city, supreme, and justice courts that handle criminal cases. Individuals can find criminal case records by using the resources provided by each court.

Searchers should first identify the type of case they are looking for to determine the court in charge. For example, the Syracuse City Court only handles misdemeanors and other small criminal offenses within city limits.

One can also look up criminal court disposition information from Onondaga County through the Office of Court Administration (OCA) for $95.

Get Onondaga County Civil Court Records

Civil court cases involve disputes between two or more entities, usually where one party (the plaintiff) seeks compensation for damages or an order for a defendant to take a specific action.

Civil cases are handled in Onondaga's Supreme, County, Surrogate's, City, and Justice courts. Individuals can contact or visit the presiding court to find and obtain related case records.

For example, the county court hears civil cases worth up to $25,000, and individuals can approach the Onondaga County Clerk's office for such records.

Onondaga County Family Court Records

Onondaga's Family Court hears cases under New York's family law. These matters include child welfare, support, custody, adoption, parental rights, and supervision for the mentally challenged.

Individuals can contact the County Clerk's office to order copies of these case records or use the WebFamily online application.

It should be noted that not all family court cases, such as adoption and juvenile proceedings, are open to the public.

Onondaga Dissolution of Marriage Records

Individuals seeking Onondaga dissolution of marriage (divorce) records have two main options:

• Approaching the County Clerk to obtain divorce decrees
• Ordering divorce certificates through the New York Department of Health

Obtaining divorce decrees

The local Supreme Court prepares Onondaga divorce decrees. They contain details of divorce cases and are signed by judges. The County Clerk's office maintains these records, and requesters can approach the office to order them. However, the records are not open to every member of the public. One must either be a party to the case or have a court order permitting access.

Ordering Divorce Certificates

Members of the public can order divorce certificates from the New York State Department of Health for divorces approved from January 1, 1963, to the present. Divorces granted before 1963 date only have divorce decrees available.

Parties qualified to obtain a divorce certificate include spouses and entities with court orders. They can make online, telephone, and mail-in orders to the DOH.

Online and phone orders cost $45 (first copy) plus processing and shipping fees. The department's contracted vendor processes these orders.

Mail-in orders cost $30 per copy. Requesters must fill out the Mail-in Application for Copy of Divorce Certificate form and send it to the following address with payment:

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602

Onondaga County Marriage and Divorce Records

People seeking Onondaga County divorce records can follow the same steps outlined for finding Onondaga County dissolution of marriage records.

On the other hand, individuals who want to obtain Onondaga County marriage records, such as copies of marriage certificates and licenses, can contact the office of the city or town clerk that issued the original marriage licenses.

Individuals can also obtain Onondaga County marriage certificates from the New York State Department of Health. They cost the same as the divorce certificates issued by the department and follow the same request process. However, only spouses or people authorized by law can request and obtain marriage records. People who order by mail must complete the Mail in Application for Copy of Marriage Certificate form.

Onondaga County Birth and Death Records

Onondaga birth certificates serve as legal proof of an individual's birth. They can be used for citizenship validation, school enrollment, driver's license application, and social security benefits. They can also be used to request a parent's death certificate.

Death certificates, on the other hand, are required for various legal reasons, such as estate settlement, inheritance, and insurance.

Only people named on an Onondaga County birth record, such as parents and the child, can obtain certified copies. For death records, only the children, parents, and siblings of the deceased can purchase certified copies. However, entitled parties with a legal need for a death certificate can request the records provided they have the required paperwork.

Individuals can order Onondaga birth and death records through the county's Office of Vital Statistics by mail, online, fax, or in person using the following details:

The Office of Vital Statistics
Civic Center
421 Montgomery Street
Suite 20
Syracuse, NY 13202

Birth and death certificates cost $30 for the first document and $15 for each additional copy in a single purchase.

Onondaga County Probate Court Records

Probate matters are handled in the Onondaga County Surrogate's Court. Individuals can use the Onondaga County Clerk's eSearch tool, visit or mail the Clerk's office, or access the NYSCEF system to view and order probate case records.

Onondaga County Property Records

Property records are important paperwork that helps individuals stay updated with their property taxes and perform due diligence during real estate transactions. They contain information like tax details, assessment information, ownership history, and liens.

Individuals can access the County Clerk's eSearch system or the Onondaga County Real Property Tax Services Property Assessment Information portal to find information about properties in the county and order records.

Onondaga County Court Records Online

Third-party online vendors like Newyorkcourtrecords.us offer a more convenient way to search for Onondaga County public records, including court records. These businesses purchase records in bulk from public agencies and resell them to customers. Thus, users can find records in one place instead of going through different official channels.

However, interested parties should note that third-party websites are not free. Inquirers are also advised to confirm records purchased from these sites through official sources.